# Why do the Rolling Stones keep going? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331 "2005-04-27T06:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/1 "2005-04-27T06:49:04Z")
I’ve heard recently that the Rolling Stones are planning on another world tour. “Why?” is what springs to mind. I mean, good on them for keeping it together which is a huge feat, but what is their motivation? Surely: 1. they’re not brimming over with new material/ideas and they can’t get no (or, at least, much) satisfaction from playing all the oldies over and over; 2. they can’t possibly need the money; 3. Hi, Opal! and 4. the novelty of big crowds displaying awe and love must have worn off many years ago. Hence one ponders just what it is that continues to drive the steel wheels upon which the Rolling Stones, er, roll. Discuss. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/2 "2005-04-27T07:08:12Z")
Fear of moss? All I’ve got, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/3 "2005-04-27T07:12:24Z")
Occurence of the word ‘moss’ in first reply. Check. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/4 "2005-04-27T08:27:22Z")
The Rolling Stones continues to tour for the same reason you use the “Hi Opal!” bit. I mean it really, really, old and trite. But damn, some habbits are just hard to break. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/5 "2005-04-27T08:52:46Z")
> [@buns3000](#): > > I’ve heard recently that the Rolling Stones are planning on another world tour. “Why?” is what springs to mind. I mean, good on them for keeping it together which is a huge feat, but what is their motivation? They’re musicians, it’s what they do. Also they probably enjoy it; that might be all the motivation you need. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/6 "2005-04-27T10:15:12Z")
Bill Gates surely doesn’t need any more money either, but it doesn’t stop him. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/7 "2005-04-27T11:17:29Z")
[To beat The Who.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6100279) Either that or they just can’t Fade Away… (sorry) ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/8 "2005-04-27T14:39:45Z")
What would they do instead? Sit and stare at the wall? Seriously, what could be more fun than the life of a rock star? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/9 "2005-04-27T14:49:16Z")
> [@LionelHutz405](#): > > Seriously, what could be more fun than the life of a rock star? Surely not the life of a 60+ year old rock star. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/10 "2005-04-27T14:55:01Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Surely not the life of a 60+ year old rock star. Yeah, but they’ve been doing it their whole lives. I think I read that Mick said they would keep going until they could go on no more. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/11 "2005-04-27T15:02:59Z")
They do it because they enjoy it. They get to play music for people who love it and they get lots of strange. What’s not to like? Haj ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/12 "2005-04-27T15:03:56Z")
It’s a living… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/13 "2005-04-27T15:24:21Z")
Have you ever been in front of an audience of crazed, screaming fans? I have - believe me, it is as addicting an adrenaline/endorphin/whatever rush as any narcotic you could possible imagine. If you are the least bit extroverted - I think Mick might qualify - then knowing you can access that high is beyond seductive. Why do you think some artists, sports stars, etc., stay in it way past their expiration date? ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/14 "2005-04-27T15:25:14Z")
\*My spine is stuck from too much hip gyration My lips are disconnected from my bowels I can’t eat food that’s Mexican or Asian I’ve got a case of rolling kidney stones You can’t always eat what you want…\* (Posted with apologies to The Capitol Steps) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/15 "2005-04-27T15:42:38Z")
I saw a brief clip of Mick Jagger a few years ago in which he said music/singing was better than sex. Who’da thunk it? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/16 "2005-04-27T15:51:30Z")
Why? In 1989 their tour earned them $90,000,000 in 60 shows. [Cite](http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1989/1002/154_print.html) 14 years later they earned $299,500,000. [Cite](http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2052658) Given the UK’s punitive tax rates (98% on top earners! :eek: ☹ ), with these numbers they probably _still_ need the money. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/17 "2005-04-27T16:02:04Z")
Oddly, the same question was seldom posted with regards to Frank Sinatra. I know rock music was the “music of the young” back when we were young folks listening to it and the performers were young people creating it, but what did y’all expect us to want to listen to when we got to be middle-aged folks? Are we expected to switch to Easy Listening or something? Ha! We like rock. Of course we can listen to our old recordings (and we do), but it’s nice that rock is still being written and sung, whether by new musicians who do rock or the relics our own age who’ve been doing it all along. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/18 "2005-04-27T16:12:58Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Oddly, the same question was seldom posted with regards to Frank Sinatra. > > I know rock music was the “music of the young” back when we were young folks listening to it and the performers were young people creating it, but what did y’all expect us to want to listen to when we got to be middle-aged folks? Are we expected to switch to Easy Listening or something? > > Ha! We like rock. Of course we can listen to our old recordings (and we do), but it’s nice that rock is still being written and sung, whether by new musicians who do rock or the relics our own age who’ve been doing it all along. Amen. I play and sing in a cover band - we play pretty hard rockin’ versions of danceable rock songs. We get great crowds - pack the place with locals - who all want to come up to us during breaks and tell us how refreshing and fun it is to catch local, live music in a small club/bar setting. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/19 "2005-04-28T00:44:01Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Why? > > In 1989 their tour earned them $90,000,000 in 60 shows. [Cite](http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1989/1002/154_print.html) > > 14 years later they earned $299,500,000. [Cite](http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2052658) > > Given the UK’s punitive tax rates (98% on top earners! :eek: ☹ ), with these numbers they probably _still_ need the money. Remembering that they had to rent the arena, pay off the promoter, and hire a large crew to put on those shows, they didn’t get that amount even before taxes. OTOH, those figures probably didn’t include merchandise sales. ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331/20 "2005-04-28T01:02:15Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Given the UK’s punitive tax rates (98% on top earners! :eek: ☹ ), with these numbers they probably _still_ need the money. The UK top tax rate is 40%. IIRC it was 98% in the 60’s when we had lots of different levels. Now we only have 3 levels, 10%, 22% and 40%. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-rolling-stones-keep-going/301331.md?page=2)